Curio Theatre/WPSD Scholarship

As some of you know, my wife Catherine is the Director of Special Education at the William Penn School District in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. William Penn is a cash-strapped district. Many of its residents are struggling to get by.

A couple years ago, we began attending Penn Wood Middle School's annual musical. So far we've seen "The Lion King" and "Shrek." The musicals, directed by Ms. Judy Jordan, are wonderful productions. The kids put their hearts and souls into the work. Watching them, I get the feeling that these young people will remember participating in the musicals for the rest of their lives. I know from my own life that theater teaches cooperation; it fosters listening skills; it develops confidence; it strengthens relationships; and it builds community.

Driving home from one of the shows, we passed Curio Theatre Company on Baltimore Avenue in our West Philadelphia neighborhood. It occured to me that Curio is only a trolley ride away from the William Penn School District, and that virtually any kid from the District can get to the theater by public transportation. Yet, I am aware that tuition for Curio's Saturday theater classes and summer theater camp may be out of reach for many William Penn families. 

I thought, "What if I could raise some money to help a William Penn School District student go to theater camp?" Last summer, I paid tuition out of pocket for one student. She loved it, and Curio loved her. Success! 

Now I want to start a fund to pay for more William Penn students to attend Curio's theater school and camp. The goal is to create an endowment that will offset costs and cover tuition.

Here's where you come in: You can help send a valuable message to these talented, passionate students: "Wherever you go in life, you're just a trolley ride away from someone who is making theater. You can get involved, you can elevate your spirit, you can collaborate to make something beautiful and to help make our world a better place through the arts."

Please contribute today! Donations are tax deductible. Any amount is appreciated.